Giving Tuesday 2018: #HelpAKidWalk

We all know how important it is for a child to run around and play. Now imagine a child deprived of that possibility – a child like Yohannes.

At four years old, Yohannes still couldn’t walk by himself. His many complicated physical disabilities resulted in developmental delays. Limitations on his speech and hearing have made it hard for him to interact and play with friends.

Even worse, Yohannes’s mother kept him hidden away, fearing the stigma and discrimination against children with disabilities in her community.

No child should miss out on childhood!

With your help, Yohannes and his family was provided with support. Using tailored equipment and devices, Yohannes was helped to take his first steps. His family was supported to overcome stigma and discrimination. And he joined a local Inclusive Kindergarten, taking his first steps into education alongside children with and without disabilities.

27 November 2018 is Giving Tuesday. We hope to raise enough money today to help 60 Ethiopian children living with disabilities to have the ability to walk, play, and go to school. Please donate today on our gofundme or on our website!

$3 is all it costs to buy one set of rubber tips, a crucial element of crutches and walking frames. If you have a bit more to spare, $15 will buy one set of crutches, or $50 would buy a walking frame tailored to the needs and size of the child.

The best part of it is: by supporting children to walk, you are also helping their families and communities to take the first steps towards ending stigma and empowering children with disabilities. Ethiopiaid Canada works with our local partner, Cheshire Services Ethiopia, to provide holistic support to children and women with disabilities in Ethiopia. As well as providing medical assistance and walking aids, Ethiopiaid and Cheshire fund inclusive kindergartens like the one Yohannes attends. We also support older children with disabilities to attend school by providing transport and financial support. In addition, we empower older women with disabilities to learn vocational skills and start their own small businesses, regaining autonomy and independence.

For Yohannes, your support means more than just an ability to walk – it means that his family understand his needs, and his community overcomes stigma. It is his first step towards education, empowerment, and an independent life.

For children like Yohannes, your support is one of the most important moments of their life.

Please consider donating today, and remember to tell your friends on social media and keep the momentum strong using the hashtags #GivingTuesday and #HelpAKidWalk.